heartofdakota.com

I am reminded over and over again how much I love Heart of Dakota! I love watching my kids excel with this curriculum and my heart is just so full each day as I see the amazing things we are doing. Today, my younger son and I moved cows back and forth off an island (cotton balls on the table - index cards as canoes) and we both giggled and laughed and had the best time...with something so small and simple! It is something i would have never thought to do with my kids on my own. I praise God He led me here...and then led me BACK here for my older son. My older son has been working diligently for the last half hour cutting, numbering, and gluing his picture tiles to make a mosaic. He is so proud of his work!

I also look back at the pictures I have taken of the kids over the last semester and all of the projects they have completed and I am just amazed and so thrilled to see our progress and all of the cool things I have done with them!

I had a friend over a few weeks ago and we were looking at some of the pictures. She is a long time homeschooler (as in about 20 years) and she uses Abeka mainly. I was showing her HOD and she left with a catalog raving about how amazing and fun our school days look. She made the comment that "it puts what (she) is doing to shame). I definitely wasn't trying to make her feel bad or anything (and she knows that), but I wish everyone could SEE Hod in action and see how much fun these kids have and how much work they do. Looking at the plans just doesn't do this curriculum justice at all!

From the bottom of my heart, I am just so thankful for Heart of Dakota and what it has done for my children and my family!

I remember blowing the cotton balls around. That was fun! We, too, have so much fun everyday. I am so thankful to for the true open and go nature of the plans. My prep work is so little yet we get so much out of the program. You are so right too that there is so much more to the program than meets the eye. The more we dig in and savor the program, the more we get out of it. Each year just gets better and better!

Thank you! This gives me such great encouragement. I won't be using a guide until fall, but I have everything else here to start in January. I look forward to jumping in.

I agree! I feel like HOD makes me a better mom/teacher that I would be otherwise. There are so many things I want to do each day, and HOD helps me do them. I want to be creative with projects with my dc, and HOD helps me do that. I want to have FUN with my dc, and HOD helps me do that. I want to read excellent books, and HOD helps me do that. I want to teach my dc good solid academics, and HOD helps me do that. I want to keep Christ in our days as much as possible and share my faith with our dc, and HOD helps me do that. Sometimes when I feel weary in my spirt and tired in my body, it is a balm to my soul to know I can still feel good about doing HOD each day. I can do it! And it helps me do the things I want to do that I would not otherwise get done. Thanks for sharing this - your words are an encouragement to me here!

In Christ,
Julie